


The Power of Three

by Fyre



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-14
Updated: 2013-10-14
Packaged: 2017-12-29 10:34:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1004372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fyre/pseuds/Fyre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, happiness is unconventional.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Power of Three

It was raining.

Aurora watched the drops streaking down the glass, twisting the world in strange ways. She pressed her fingertips to the glass. It would be raining in the forest too, out there in the chilly winter night.

It would be cold.

Would they have shelter, she wondered. Would they have a fire? Would they have anything to give them the comfort of home? Would she?

She lifted her hand from the glass to brush a tear from her cheek. Her fingers were cold. 

"Aurora?"

She turned, startled, to see Philip standing in the doorway. He smiled briefly, sadly.

"You too?"

She looked back out of the window. "It's cold out there," she whispered.

Philip approached her, wrapping his arms around her from behind. His hands spread on her belly, the gentle swell that was growing day by day. It was only a month since they had found out, and only a month since three had become two. "She wanted to go," he reminded her quietly. 

"But why?" Aurora whispered, covering his hands with hers. "Why, when our family is starting to grow?"

Philip pressed his cheek to her hair. "I don't know," he said unhappily. "I spent so many years with her. It feels strange to be without her now."

Aurora's fingers laced through his. "Do you think it was something we did?" she asked. "I thought she was happy."

"I don't know." Philip murmured. "It's not as if she left because of the baby."

Aurora stared at the glass and their distorted reflections. "Not until I told her," she said slowly. She turned in his arms. "Philip, she was going to tell me something else, I know it, but when I told her about the baby..." She shook her head. "She must have thought she would be in the way."

"That's absurd!"

Aurora stared at him. "Is it?"

"Why would she feel like that?" he asked, shaking his head. "She knows we both care about her."

Aurora leaned into his embrace. "She loves you, Philip," she whispered. "You know that." He didn't deny it. He didn't argue. "And you love her." She felt the way his heartbeat quickened.

"Aurora..."

"I know you do," she said softly, her cheek resting against his chest. "You can't travel so far or fight so hard alongside somebody without coming to love them." She laughed sadly, then whispered so softly it was barely audible, "Believe me, I know."

Philip went utterly still. "Aurora?"

She lifted her head to look up at him. She could feel the heat of tears welling from her eyes. "You fought by her side to save me," she whispered. "And I fought by her side to save you. She saved us both and helped us both, Philip, and we've driven her away."

"But we didn't," Philip said quietly. "She knows she's welcome here."

"Then why did she go when I told her about our child?" Aurora asked. She drew away from him, walking back to the windows and throwing them open. The gust of winter air took her breath away, chilling the tears on her cheeks. "Maybe she thought you could still love her, if there was no child."

"Or you," he said, laying his hands on her shoulders. "Maybe it wasn't my love she wanted."

Aurora felt her cheeks flush, remember nights curled safely in Mulan's embrace, sheltered from enemies, the way her heart glowed in Mulan's hand. They had never spoken of such things, but even unspoken, Aurora knew feelings could grow. She didn't dare to look at her husband. "Does that change things?"

Philip kissed the top of her head. "I don't want her gone any more than you do."

Aurora lifted her hands to touch his. Of all the men in the world that she could love, she loved the one who saw the world as she did, and for that, she wanted to weep with joy. "She should be with us," she whispered. "We've all been through so much together. Why didn't she see that?"

He squeezed her shoulders. "Because we didn't tell her," he said quietly.

She clasped his fingers. "We should," she said. "We can't let her leave without knowing everything."

"You're sure?" he asked. "Aurora, what we're suggesting... you know what people will say."

She turned and looked up at him ferociously. "When they've been under the sleeping curse or consumed by a wraith or take up the sword to fight in the place of a loved one, they can say what they choose. I will love where I wish, and if you will, I am going to find Mulan and I'm going to tell her that."

"And if we're wrong," he said with a small smile, "we simply bluster that we never got to say goodbye properly?"

Aurora smiled, feeling a great weight lifted from her. "If we're wrong, then we still have one another."

Philip leaned down and kissed her gently. "And if we're right?"

Her heart pounded rapidly at the thought. "If we're right..." She shook her head. "We let her decide what she wants to do, and then we see what happens."

 

_______________________________________________

 

There was something comfortable and familiar about being on the move in a camp, even the more tedious parts like guard duty and fetching watching and firewood. 

Mulan wrapped twine around the bundle of sticks she had gathered, hoisting it up onto her back. It was probably more than they needed, but it never hurt to have a supply to carry with them. Robin wouldn't complain. Anything to keep his little one warm.

The child was important.

Children always were.

It was strange that it didn't hurt as much it should have to think of Aurora and Philip's child. They would be wonderful parents, and they would love the little one so much, so how could she begrudge the child for coming between her and the ones she loved?

She shook her head.

Enough.

It was like touching the gap were a tooth was lost. It would serve no purpose, and only emphasise what was gone and could not come back. She pushed aside all thought of them, and turned back in the direction of the camp.

She had a new family now, new people to protect and watch over.

Perhaps they did not look at her as Philip had, or curl close to her in sleep as Aurora did, but she was a soldier now. She was a soldier, and soldiers did not need such things. Soldiers did what they had to for the good of the group.

The night was drawing in as she approached the camp, the firelight already visible between the trees.

She could hear Little John's deep booming voice, singing merrily. She smiled quietly. There was one in every unit, one who would bring cheer and folly in equal measure. She'd heard well enough about his first encounter with Robin, and the fact the big man had laughed as he ended up in a river did not surprise her. 

"Who goes?" Will Scarlet called out.

"Mulan," she replied. "Bearing sticks."

He grinned, saluting her playfully. "We'll cook well tonight," he said, "and it'll give our guests plenty of warmth."

Mulan frowned. "Guests? Since when do bandits have guests?"

Scarlet tapped a finger to his nose. "Height of sophistication, that's what we are," he said, nodding back towards the camp. "Lords and Ladies and everything coming to tea."

Mulan's stomach flipped. "Lords and ladies?" she asked.

"Some fancy Prince and Princess," Scarlet said with a shrug. "Don't ask me. Robin sent me off on guard duty. Seems to think I can't keep a civil tongue around the nobs."

"He's probably right," Mulan said distractedly, looking towards the camp. It couldn't possibly be who she thought. They had no reason to come after her, even if the thought of seeing them again warmed her more than she cared to admit. "I'll send someone with food, if there's anything left."

"Ha!" Scarlet called after. "Little John was there. I'll be lucky to get bones."

Mulan approached the camp on silent feet. She could move as light as a cat if she needed to, and right now, she didn't want to be noticed until she knew who their visitors were. It wouldn't do to be caught by surprise.

She was less than ten paces from the fire when she saw one of the guests silhouetted by the fire, and her heart leapt. She didn't move another step, but he turned. He always knew when he was being watched, and he looked straight at her.

Philip.

He rose, looking out from the warm circle by the fire, and Mulan felt her hands tremble.

Still, she was a soldier and a warrior, and would not let childish sentiment rule her.

She walked closer, setting the bundle of sticks down, and stepped over one of the logs framing the fire. “Philip,” she said, holding out her hand.

He grasped it, and for a moment, she was both relieved and angry that she was wearing her gloves, her hands masked from contact. “Mulan,” he said, searching her face. “I hope we’re not unwelcome.”

Mulan inclined her head. “We?”

A cloaked figure rose, and Aurora pushed her hood back. “We,” she said. “Both of us.”

Mulan stared at her. Us, again. That was what Aurora said when she departed, and now, they were there, together. She tried to brush it aside, focussing on the practical matters. “You should be indoors!” she chastised. “It’s no weather for you to be out in your condition.”

Aurora ducked her head. “We wanted to see how you were,” she said. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”

Mulan looked askance at Robin, who was smiling that knowing smile of his. He knew what it was to lose a loved one, and he knew that her own heart had been broken. It didn’t take a genius to work out who their visitors were, not after the stories they had shared by the fire of the people she had known before she had joined the merry men. 

“We’ll keep some food for you,” he said. “Take your time.”

Mulan nodded. She took one of the smaller torches tried to keep her footing steady as she lead the way from the fire to the tend that was her own. It was a surprisingly grand affair, but that was only because she was the only woman and the men liked to play at chivalry from time to time.

She stepped in quickly without looking back, and lit the lanterns one by one. It took all her willpower not to turn around as Philip and Aurora entered the tent. She snuffed out the torch in a bucket of sand and stood, her back to them, as she removed her gloves.

“I didn’t expect to see you,” she said, setting the gloves down on the small chest that stood to the side of the tent.

“We missed you,” Aurora said.

Mulan closed her eyes. “I’m doing well,” she said. “I’m happy here.”

“Are you?” Philip - damn him - always knew when she lied.

She turned around to face them. “What do you want me to say?” she asked quietly, resigned. “I think I could be happy, but now, I’m not? Is that what you came to hear?”

Philip started to move forward, but Aurora touched his arm, shook her head. She looked at Mulan. “We wanted to ask you to come home. If you want to.”

Home.

Gods, she wished she was anywhere else so that she could turn away and hide her face from them. Her eyes burned at the thought. 

Home. 

They didn’t realise how right they were. For so many years, she’d fought and struggled. Her first foray into the army, she was shunned and rejected for so long, and afterwards, a female soldier was such an oddity, but Philip had accepted her, and in time, Aurora had too. 

Home was with them, but she had no place there now, not when they were husband and wife, with a child soon to be born.

“I don’t want to be in the way,” she said, turning away from them to unpin her cloak. She took her time arranging the heavy folds as she hung it up, smoothing the cloth down.

One of them approached her, Aurora judging by the lightness of step.

“You wouldn’t be,” she said softly.

Mulan lowered her hands to her sides. “You’re to have a child.”

“We are,” Aurora agreed quietly. “Why would that change things?”

Mulan looked around at her in disbelief. Perhaps she was weeping. Perhaps not. She couldn’t tell. All she could see was Aurora’s face, her bright blue eyes gazing at her with such warmth and affection that her words faltered. “It-” she stammered. “It must. You are a family.”

“Which you are part of,” Aurora said softly. “Mulan, we want you to come home.”

Mulan stared at her, torn. 

It would be so simple, to return and play the sister once more, standing at the side, while they were happy together, and loved one another, and had their children. It would be simple, and it would hurt even more than a blunt blade to the heart.

But to be without them…

She looked at Philip. She had stood by his side when he and Aurora had taken their oaths to love one another. She had watched them become closer in that moment, and once more, she was standing just shy of them. They were in the warmth of the firelight, and she was in the shadows.

“I can’t,” she said, shaking her head.

Aurora looked back at Philip, distress written on her face.

“Will you at least tell us what we did wrong?” Philip asked, approaching them both.

Wrong?

Gods above.

“Nothing,” she whispered. “You did nothing.”

“We thought you were happy,” Aurora said sadly. 

Mulan shook her head. She had no words that could make matters easier, and she backed away, turning away, picking her gloves up and putting them down again. How could she tell them, when it would be nothing more than an impossible dream?

Aurora approached her again, her slim hand catching Mulan’s arm. “Mulan…”

Mulan turned to… to what? To plead for them to go, to leave her in peace, to let her try and pick up what was left of her heart and piece it together again? She did not know. She only knew she wept. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks, and she looked imploringly from one to the other, wordlessly, desperately, begging them to allow her some dignity.

Aurora stared at her, then without hesitation, stepped forward and gathered Mulan in her arms, holding her fast. Mulan could no more stop her arms from embracing Aurora than she could stop the wind from blowing. 

“Come home,” Aurora whispered. “Please.”

Mulan held her tightly. “I can’t,” she whispered. “I-I have no place there.”

Aurora’s cheek drew along hers, and Aurora’s face was so close Mulan could feel her breath on her own lips. “My sweet, silly soldier,” she whispered, then she kissed her.

Mulan’s eyes closed, and she uttered a soft, desperate sound, her lips parting to Aurora’s. It made her tremble to her toes, even more so when a third hand stroked through her hair, and she drew back, her breath coming too fast. Philip. Philip was gazing at her with the same intent warmth as Aurora, and his hand was in her hair. He was allowing… he was encouraging…

“I-I don’t understand,” she whispered.

“We love you,” Aurora said softly. “We want you to come home with us.”

Mulan looked from one to the other. “But…” she whispered. “But it’s not… proper.”

Aurora loosened her arm and moved enough to allow Philip closer, and he bent and claimed Mulan’s lips in a brief kiss, warming her as much as Aurora had. “Does that matter?” he asked. “You’ve never let propriety dictate your life before.”

Mulan drew back, staring at them both. It felt too much like daydreams, too much good fortune to be real. “This can’t be,” she said, shaking her head. “I-I… it isn’t fair to you, making you feel you have to let me in.”

Aurora looked up at Philip, and there was fondness in her eyes. “I don’t think she understands,” she said.

“To be honest,” Philip admitted, “nor do I. But we all work better when we’re together, and we can make our kingdom great with our combined talents.” He smiled his shy smile. “I know that’s no the most romantic think I could have said…”

He was right, but it was the most him thing he could have said. They did work well together, each with the other. They were each so different, but similar where it mattered. It made them stronger, to have one another to lean on, and Mulan knew that was what she was missing the most. She was one of the Merry Men now, it was true, but she was one of many, and there was no one person she could count on at all times. 

Philip glanced down at Aurora, then back at Mulan. “We both love you, and we think you may feel the same,” he said. He was pink in the face. “Why is that wrong? We’re just luckier than most people to have so much.” He had his arm around Aurora’s waist, and she was clasping her hands together so tightly in front of her that her knuckles were bone-white. “We’re not a family without you, Mulan. We won’t force you, but we wanted you to know, before you made up your mind.”

Mulan wrapped her fingers around the buckle of her belt. “You’re both serious about this, aren’t you?” she said, trembling. “This isn’t just some game?”

“No game,” Aurora said in a whisper. “Mulan, I love you. I wanted you to know. And you already knew that Philip does too.”

Mulan nodded, unable to speak. If she did, she would weep like a child.

So many years of fighting and struggle and hardship made it familiar. Leaving behind the ones she loved had been her sacrifice. She was used to that. She had given up so much to do the right thing, it hadn’t come into question.

Those loved ones weren’t meant to come after her and offer her everything she had ever longed for. What had she ever done to deserve such fortune? Why was it being made so simple? It was new and it was terrifying, and by the Gods, it was all she wanted.

“Will you come home?” Philip asked in the stillness after what felt like hours of silence.

Mulan lifted trembling fingers to brush the tears from her cheeks, and when she smiled, it felt like a new expression. “Yes,” she whispered.

 

____________________________________________

 

 

Aurora should have been resting.

He could tell she wasn’t by the way Mulan stormed across the audience chamber and out into the hall, while he was in the middle of the weekly audience. He had to bite his lip to keep from smiling, as he listened to the Mayor of one of the larger towns detail changes they planned to make to the irrigation system. 

It was all quite fascinating in the way that was completely tedious.

It came as a relief when the last of the papers was signed and the last of the petitioners was gently but firmly escorted from the room.

Philip rose as soon as the room was empty, unpinning his heavy formal cloak, and bounding down the stairs. He was halfway up the staircase and contemplating asking which directions his ladies were in when he realised it was unnecessary.

Mulan’s voice echoed down the staircase.

“You know you’re not meant to be out of bed.”

“I’m pregnant, not an invalid,” Aurora complained. “What am I meant to do all day when you and Philip get to listen to the petitioners? Needlework?”

“Anything that means you’re resting,” Mulan insisted. “You weren’t missing much.”

Philip reached the top of the staircase and paused there, watching as the two women made their way down the corridor. Aurora’s health was testing her so late in the pregnancy, but she still insisted on doing little tasks around the palace, even if it meant sleeping for half a day afterwards.

Mulan had her arm gently around Aurora’s waist, and Philip could see how much Aurora was leaning on her.

“Need a hand?” he asked, ascending the last step. 

Mulan glanced back. “A pair of arms, perhaps,” she agreed.

Philip stepped alongside Aurora’s other side, and bent, easily scooping her up into his embrace. She rolled her eyes at him, putting her arm around his shoulder. 

“Don’t tell me you’re going to fuss too?” she said.

“Would it help?”

She gave him her sweetest smile. “Not for a moment,” she said. “Mulan chased me off the balcony when Rowville was talking. It sounded interesting.”

Mulan pursed her lips. “You shouldn’t have been standing up for so long,” she said. “If you’d have let me fetch a chair…”

“Too late now,” Aurora said. “Anyway, I needed you to come and help me look at the nursery. You’ve been avoiding it.”

Mulan made a face. “We’re taking you back to bed,” she said.

Aurora looked at her, then reached up and grabbed Philip’s ear. 

“Ow!” Philip exclaimed, laughing.

“I’m steering this mighty steed,” Aurora declared, “and I say we’re going to the nursery.”

Mulan looked longingly at the staircase. “I don’t think I’m going to be much use…”

Aurora looked at her sternly. “You’re part of this family, and you have the best knowledge of tactical defence,” she said. “I want you to protect our child.”

“Your child,” Mulan said self-consciously. 

“Our child,” Aurora repeated stubbornly. “We need at least one of us to teach it some kind of martial skill.”

“But Philip…”

“Looks fine in armour,” Aurora said airily, “but cut himself the first time he tries to wield a sword.”

He stifled a chuckle. “I’m still here, you know,” he said, as they continued towards the half-furnished nursery.

“Hush, steed,” Aurora said with a smile, tugging on his ear.

Philip shot Mulan a helpless grin. “There’s no fighting it, I’m afraid,” he said.

Mulan looked from one of them to the other, as if she truly couldn’t understand why they wanted her there with them, but she smiled. “I’ll keep trying,” she said. “That’s what makes things interesting.”

Aurora laughed. “Well, we’re all conscious and no one is cursed,” she said. “This is a quiet day for us, so we have to entertain ourselves somehow.” She loosed her grip on Philip’s ear, resting her head on his shoulder. “And then, perhaps, sleep? Together?”

Mulan’s expression softened. “We can do that,” she agreed.

Philip nodded. “I’ll need it, after carrying you around,” he said playfully, earning swats from two outraged women. It only served to make him laugh.


End file.
